Tensor polarization of ω produced at threshold in p–p collisions

Abstract

It is shown that the dominant decay mode of \vec\omega \to \pi^+ \pi^- \pi^0 can be employed to determine the Fano statistical tensor t20 of \vec \omega with respect to the quantization axis normal to the decay plane. In pp \to pp \vec \omega one can choose decay planes with different orientations for a given direction of the momentum q of the ω meson produced. By choosing three different experimentally convenient orientations of the decay planes for the same q, one may determine empirically the t20 and t2±2 characterizing the tensor polarization of ω in the transverse frame for pp \to pp \vec \omega